Maschil d



(Model.)

M. D. CONVERSE.

SNAP HOOK.

Patented Apr. 27, 1886.

N, Pm'zns, Fholomhognpher. Wilmington. D. C.

NlTED STATES ArnN'r OFFICE.

MASCHIL D. CONVERSE, OF .YONKERS, NEW YORK.

SNAP-HOOK.

-=%PECJEFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 340,558, dated April27, 1886.

Application filed June 16,1884. Serial No. 134,053. ()l'ollel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MAsoHI-L D. OoNvnnss, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Yonkers, in the county of \Vestchester and State ofNew York, have invented newand useful Improvements in Snap Hooks forHarness and for other Purposes, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a snap-hook which will underall circumstances maintain a grasp of the ring or other object to whichit is hooked, but whichcan be instantly attached or detached whenrequired. I attain this, as will be more clearly understood by referenceto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, first,by constructing my snaphook in two similar parts or halves, the oneinverted upon the other and secured by a pivotal rivet; and, second, bythe use of branches, branching off from the shanks and extending beyondand at or about right angles to the point of the hook of each of thehalves, which together are adapted to keep the snaphook from becomingaccident ally disengaged from the ring, as will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my snap-hook complete,caught upon a ring, the dotted lines showing various positions of thesame respectively, the thumb and indexfinger of the hand represented inthe same figure showing the manner of grasping the snap-hook whenrequired to disengage it from the ring; Fig. 3, a side view of one halfof the snap-hook, the dotted lines in the same figure showingaccidentalpositions of the snaphook and the ring; Fig. 2, an edge view of thehalves of the snap-hook separated and the pivotal rivet.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the several figures. Y

A is the shanks of the halves of the snaphook, and B the branches; 0,the hooks; D, the pivotal rivet; E, the eye; F, the stops; h, 71. h h'If, the ring in different positions, and H a position of theringhereinafter referred to.

The operation of my snap-hook is as follows: Grasping it in the mannershown in Fig. 1, the lips G are pressed forward against the ring h, andopened to receive the latter by pressing the thumb and index-fingertoward each other, one of the halves of the snap-hook swinging oil intothe position shown by dotted lines in the same figure. When the ringcomes to the position h", and the stops F strike the shanks A, acontinued forward thrust causes the hook of the half before swung off toswing back again by the ring pressing into the fork of the branches B,where they cross each other, until the hooks C are in the position theywere when starting, and the ring has reached the position 71 Forwardmovement being now stopped, the hooks drop upon the ring, leaving thelatter in the position shown by H. It will. be observed that forwardpressure against is the only condition required to attach the.

snap-hook to the ring. Now, to detach it, it may be either pushedsteadily forward against or hold slightly taut on the ring, the latterbeing the preferable method; but two other conditions are alsonecessary, and must be simultaneous with the former before it can bedisengaged, as will appear. Therefore to de tach the snap-hook from thering, grasp it in the manner shown in Fig. 1, with the thumb and theindex'finger, respectively, upon the stops F; pull the snap-hookslightly on the ring; then press the thumb and finger toward each otherquickly. This causes the branches of the snap-hook to force the ringback toward the hand till it will pass round the points of the hooks tothe position 71? and out. It is shown, therefore, that sinuiltaneouspressure upon respective stops F, and the holding of the snaphook tauton the ring, (to use the preferred method,) must occur beforeit can bedisengaged, as above stated, since, as shown in Fig. 3, if pressure bebrought upon one side only-as, say, at the arrow-the ring would assumethe position h, and if continued till the stops F reach the shanks Athebranch of the opposite half of the snap-hook would lock the ring intothe last-cited position, and then if pressure be brought to bear uponthe other stop also, or sinuiltan'eously upon the outside of the hooksat y c, the fork formed by crossing of the hooks at another point wouldforce the ring from position h around their points ultimately to theproper position, (shown by H in Fig. 1,) with the snap-hook in thenormal. position. (Shown by the full lines in. the same figure.)

In the manufacture of this snap-hook, if of consisting of the shanks A,secured by a pivcast malleable metal, the parts do not require otalrivet, D, provided with branches B, con- 10 to be seriously bentin thefitting; consequently structed and operating substantially as and forthe native strength is retained unimpaired. the purposes set forth.

5 Having described my invention, what I MASOHIL D. CONVERSE.

claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Vitnesses: Patent, is- F.O. MoOLEARY,

The improved snap-hook herein described, V. P. SMITHQ

